Bits of Pieces
by Riah-chan
Summary: Drabbles and short fics from challenges. Chapter 3- Tashigi and Garp. Chapter 4- Going Merry. Chapter 5- Strawhat Pirates. Chapter 6- Zoro/Tashigi. Chapter 7- Brooke. Chapter 8-Crocodile. Chapter 9- Ace. Chapter 10- Perona. Chapter 11- Tashigi.
1. Read the Signs,, Robin

Title: Read the Signs  
Rating: G  
Pairing/Characters: Robin, Strawhats  
Word Count(if applicable): 187  
Prompt: "Signs"

Nico Robin had always considered herself an intelligent person and one particularly adept at reading. People, words, situations. They all lay themselves open to her reasoning. Very rarely did a sequence of events unfold in a way that she did not anticipate. It was not until her encounters with the Strawhat Pirates did she meet a group that so regularly managed to surprise her.

She should have known that they would not abandon her when she left them. That they would keep following her until they knew the truth behind her actions. When Longnose-kun, Cook-san, and even Cyborg-san tried to convince her to leave the train, she should have known that they would not simply accept her no as an answer. Really, the extent they were willing to go to in the end should not have surprised her.

After all she had done to discourage them, she should have understood the signs that this group of people would not give up. She had never been so grateful to be wrong in her life.


	2. Penelope,, Banchina, Usopp

Title: Penelope  
Rating: G  
Pairing/Characters: Banchina, Usopp  
Word Count(if applicable): 224  
Prompt: "Myth"

"Would you like to hear a story, baby? Of course you would. Once upon a time, there was a great warrior. He was called to fight out on the sea. He went and there was a great war and he became a hero! You love heroes, don't you? Yes my baby does! Well, after the war, he wanted to come home because there he had a wife who loved him and a son. The son was growing up to be a great warrior and wanted to meet his father very badly. The warrior went through many obstacles to get home. It took him many, many years to come home. Sometimes, his wife wondered if he would make it back. But, she always waited for him. She watched her son grow in to a strong man. ::coughcough:: When he finally came home, they all were so happy to see each other. Isn't that a wonderful story, baby?"

"Is it a true, Mommy?"

"Of course it's true! Mommy wouldn't tell you a story that wasn't. Now, time for bed."

Banchina gave her little sleepy Usopp one last cuddle and set him down on his bed. As she went to finish her nightly work, she stopped to stare out the window towards the sea.


	3. No Advice Like Bad Advice,, Tashigi,Garp

Title: No Advice Like Bad Advice (Preferably, No Advice)

Rating: G

Pairing/Characters: Tashigi, Garp

Word Count(if applicable): 184

Prompt: "Advice"

(This story takes place in the middle of Chapter 4 of my story 'Expectant Time.')

Month 5.5

Tashigi enjoyed her afternoon sessions out on the training field. Today, she was working with Helmeppo while Coby watched the baby sleep in the shade on a blanket. Just as she was demonstrating a particularly good move to the taller blond (it would really help with his leverage), she heard loud laughing and then a cry coming from the direction of the shade.

Tashigi's eyebrow started to twitch in response. Garp. She turned to see the retired Vice Admiral swinging Suzume through the air and making faces at her. Suzume responded by crying louder.

"Sir! Put her down! She was sleeping!"

"Wahahaha~! You should start training this one already! By this age, Luffy was climbing out of piles that I buried him under!" Garp punctuated this by swinging the little girl higher. She responded by spitting up on him. Garp looked at his ruined shirt and laughed harder.


	4. To the Sky,, Going Merry

Title: To the Sky

Rating: G

Pairing/Characters: Merry

Word Count(if applicable): 93

Prompt: "Up"

They had never steered him wrong, but the wings were a little much. He had faith as they sailed into the whirlpool. The captain's confidence was catching so he wasn't worried. He had a navigator to pilot him and nakama to protect. And then... and then... he flew! In to the air! So high! He kept going up and up and up and any adventure was possible with this precious crew. Maybe the wings were okay after all.


	5. Renewal,, Strawhat Pirates

Title: Renewal

Rating: G

Pairing/Characters: Strawhats

Word Count(if applicable): 30

Prompt: "New Beginning"

A new song.

A new body.

A new knowledge.

A new medicine.

A new recipe.

A new confidence.

A new technique.

A new strength.

A renewed resolve.

A New World.


	6. Second Kiss,, Zoro,Tashigi

Title: Second Kiss

Rating: PG-13

Pairing/Characters: Tashigi/Zoro

Word Count(if applicable): 119

Prompt: "First Kiss"

(This would be in Week 2 in Expectant Time.)

The first kiss was an accident. In the seedy Water 7 bar, alcohol made jumping from one action to another much easier. She was just drunk enough to keep pushing when he obviously wanted to be left alone. He was just morose enough to ignore her until she happened to topple over in to his lap. From there, she wasn't sure who initiated it. All she knew was that her hands were straining to touch as much of him as they could. His were running along her back, holding her flush to his body. When they finally paused for air, Zoro's face was inscrutable but his hands didn't change their tactics. Tashigi leaned in purposefully for a second kiss.


	7. Strains,, Brooke, OC

Title: Strains

Rating: K

Pairing/Characters: Brooke, Marine OC

Word Count(if applicable):

Prompt: "Hurt/Comfort"

This was the worst day so far! She had turned her ankle and fallen behind on the company's morning run. Because of that, she'd had to do push-ups until her arms felt like they would fall off. Then, when it was time for weapons instruction, her hands had been shaking so bad that she'd dropped the parts to her gun and had to go scurrying around the floor to find all the pieces. When it was finally time for dinner, she'd been held back so long that all there was left was the burnt scrapings of the... stuff... the cook had made for dinner. About the only thing that had gone well was this morning's uniform check and even that had been ruined during the push-ups. She was burying her head in a pillow in self pity when the strains of music coming from the next dorm over.

"Livin' in South Blue, Yeah!, Shaggy beard, But I ain't got no beard!"

She found a smile creeping on to her face. The Soul King. She continued to strain to listen for the song. She heard this one before. By the end, she was tapping her food against the bed and singing along. "'Cause I'm just bones!"

When she heard them change to another song, she had relaxed into the bed. She didn't know how, but the Soul King's song had soothed her and made her feel like she could overcome this. As she fell asleep, she was humming, "But I ain't got no beard..."


	8. Fall From Grace,, Crocodile

Title: Fall From Grace

Rating: K

Pairing/Characters: Crocodile

Word Count(if applicable): 149

Prompt: "Falling"

There once was a young man who wanted to become the Pirate King. He set off from home on his journey. On his way, he found many friend to become part of his crew and to help me achieve his dream. They entered the Grand Line and fought strongly and bravely.

Then, one day, after they had entered the New World, the not-quite-so-young man and his crew encountered another pirate ship and were attacked. Though they fought strongly and bravely and with pure hearts, they were overpowered by the other crew. To the man, they were killed in front of their captain's eyes. That day, as the other captain mocked his weakness and set him adrift in the open sea, the grief-stricken captain learned that dreams could not save a crew, only strength.


	9. Campfire,, Ace, Marco

Title: Campfire

Rating: K

Pairing/Characters: Ace

Word Count(if applicable): 81

Prompt: "Heat"

Ace's cheeks were burning in embarrassment. He glared at Marco who was holding a stick above Ace's head. This was his fault. Something dripped. He continued to glare.

"I still think you cheated."

"Don't be a sore loser. Just let everyone have their fun, yoi."

Something dribble down his back and felt goopy through the flame. He grimaced.

"Gurararara~! One of you boys, make me another s'more!"


	10. Family Ties,, Perona, surprise

Title: Family Ties

Rating: K

Pairing/Characters: Perona, surprise

Word Count(if applicable): 246

Prompt: "head!canon"

Perona had only one regret in her life (and that was only when she let herself think back and dwell on it. Things were usually much more interesting in the now!)

It wasn't leaving her home village that she regretted. That had when she was very young. She could barely remember the attack that destroyed it. It had killed her parents and she didn't want to stay there and follow her parents in fighting for some stupid village and getting killed for it. (There was yummy food to eat and sweet drinks and pretty clothes and only stupid people got caught where there wasn't someone strong enough to protect you from stupid, giant monsters and other stupidly dangerous things!)

But, sometimes, when her head wasn't filled with beautiful and macabre things, she did regret leaving her little brother there. (But he had been too little to take and she couldn't have taken care of him anyway! He'd barely been a year old and she wasn't much bigger!) So, she'd left him at the orphanage and left before anyone thought to look for her.

She sometimes let herself wonder how he had turned out... had he grown up strong and cute? Did he try to become a ninja like their parents? Did he... did he remember her? (Lee had been so cute and liked to pull her hair, back then.)


	11. Grey,, Tashigi,, Black and White

Title: Grey  
Rating: K  
Pairing/Characters: Tashigi (Not related to Expectant Time)  
Word Count(if applicable): 184  
Prompt: "Black and White"

Black. White.

Pirate. Marine.

Once, justice was so clear.

Pirates were danger, selfish, all that was bad in the world. Marines were there to protect, to stand between civilians and those that do them harm.

But, now, the borders are blurred.

To have a trusted commander be revealed a pirate who never meant to protect at all. To be considered an outcast among Marines in an attempt to be just. To have pirate risk their lives to protect the children you had begged to search for. To be rescued, not just once, but twice by the members of the very crew you had been hunting.

For a second time, right in front of you eyes, the day had been saved by those you had sworn to fight.

How far were the colors mixing?

Where would justice finally settle?

Tashigi sighed and leaned back from the foggy window where her forehead had been pressed. Turning her back on the grey sea, she refocused on bringing order to her ship.


End file.
